Narrative:

I was making 3 fuel stop lndgs to qualify under far 61.57 (a), recent flight experience (night). I had an instructor fly with me. The aircraft was thoroughly preflted. All lights, including anti-collision strobes, position, and interior lights were cleared and found to be working prior to engine start. I requested closed traffic for 3 stop and go lndgs. Tower directed us to make left traffic for runway 32. While turning base for the second landing, tower advised that he could not see our position lights. We recycled the switch, checked the circuit breakers and landed. We stopped on the runway and again checked position light switch. The position lights are not visible from the cockpit. I was uncertain whether the lights were on, but the tower controller said, 'are you going to roll?' assuming that he saw the lights I replied, 'yes' and applied full power for the takeoff. The third landing was completed and we cleared the runway. After we shut down, security approached the aircraft and asked for my license and to speak with a controller (ground) on his mobile radio. The controller stated that after clearing us to alpha area and hearing our acknowledgement, our anti collision strobes went off and he was unable to contact us on 121.6 and that there was a possible conflict with another aircraft on the ground. I told him our radios remained tuned to 121.6 until we shut down, but we did not hear him. It appears there was an electrical problem with the aircraft. We smelled something burning while in flight, but attributed it to the heater, as the smell disappeared shortly. The owner/operator of the rental aircraft corroborated that there had been an electrical problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA LOST IT'S EXTERNAL LIGHTS AT NIGHT IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS MAKING 3 FUEL STOP LNDGS TO QUALIFY UNDER FAR 61.57 (A), RECENT FLT EXPERIENCE (NIGHT). I HAD AN INSTRUCTOR FLY WITH ME. THE ACFT WAS THOROUGHLY PREFLTED. ALL LIGHTS, INCLUDING ANTI-COLLISION STROBES, POS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE CLRED AND FOUND TO BE WORKING PRIOR TO ENG START. I REQUESTED CLOSED TFC FOR 3 STOP AND GO LNDGS. TWR DIRECTED US TO MAKE L TFC FOR RWY 32. WHILE TURNING BASE FOR THE SECOND LNDG, TWR ADVISED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE OUR POS LIGHTS. WE RECYCLED THE SWITCH, CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND LANDED. WE STOPPED ON THE RWY AND AGAIN CHKED POS LIGHT SWITCH. THE POS LIGHTS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE COCKPIT. I WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE LIGHTS WERE ON, BUT THE TWR CTLR SAID, 'ARE YOU GOING TO ROLL?' ASSUMING THAT HE SAW THE LIGHTS I REPLIED, 'YES' AND APPLIED FULL PWR FOR THE TKOF. THE THIRD LNDG WAS COMPLETED AND WE CLRED THE RWY. AFTER WE SHUT DOWN, SECURITY APCHED THE ACFT AND ASKED FOR MY LICENSE AND TO SPEAK WITH A CTLR (GND) ON HIS MOBILE RADIO. THE CTLR STATED THAT AFTER CLRING US TO ALPHA AREA AND HEARING OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, OUR ANTI COLLISION STROBES WENT OFF AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT US ON 121.6 AND THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT ON THE GND. I TOLD HIM OUR RADIOS REMAINED TUNED TO 121.6 UNTIL WE SHUT DOWN, BUT WE DID NOT HEAR HIM. IT APPEARS THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROB WITH THE ACFT. WE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WHILE IN FLT, BUT ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE HEATER, AS THE SMELL DISAPPEARED SHORTLY. THE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THE RENTAL ACFT CORROBORATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ELECTRICAL PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.